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Author Topic: Numb hands and arms  (Read 518 times)

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Offline briarpatch

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Numb hands and arms
« on: July 29, 2011, 09:18:43 PM »
Got out of the hospital today about 3pm. Had 2 disc removed in my neck and replaced with some type of cage thing and a latter looking device screwed to three vertebrae to jack them open.
The crushed disc were impinging on the spinal nerve and the nerves that comes out of both sides between the vertebrae. These nerves run down the arms to the hands. My hands and arms were numb and I was losing strength in both.
Before I had enough sense to get it taken care of I lost most of the mussel in my right thumb. Cannot hold and use a  tooth brush with the hand. Cant close fingernail clips with the thumb. Since the mussel atrophied I cant rebuild it.
Dont know how I crushed the disc but have had the problem for a long time and just let it  get so bad I had to do something. Big mistake.
I tried a ciropractor first and that was also a big mistake. When I finaly stopped about 4 weeks and several dollars in the hole later, I was in a lot worse shape.
Went to the Jewet clinic and got it taken care of. Operated on the neck Thursday about 1pm got out today. Can tell a bunch of difference. The doctor said it would take a year or more for the nerves to heal.
With this big ole collar on my neck and it sore as all get out. Aint much sleep.
If you guys have any of the symptoms go get it fixed before the damage sets in.
Some of you may have had the operation and will agree with getting it fixed now.   
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Offline blind ear

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    • eddiegjr
Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2011, 03:52:53 AM »
briarpatch, glad you are better. Year will go in no time.
 
 I have three or four places that need fixin but between needing to work and expences above insurance I am waiting for now. I don't have the nuro signs that you had (maybe a toe or two), yet.  If I start getting numbness of hands, feet or accute unbearable pain, I will go.
 
Good luck and recover soon. ear
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Offline rockbilly

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2011, 10:34:40 AM »
Yes, it takes a while for us older folks to recover.  My problem, I got a 18 year old brain in a 1939 model body.
 
Will pray for a speedy recovery.
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Offline Casull

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2011, 11:27:13 AM »
Briarpatch, don't give up on the thumb muscle.  I'm guessing that when the nerve is healed and you start using the hand again, the nerve  muscle will slowly come back.  I had a ruptured disc in my lower back about 15 or 16 years ago.  The sciatica was pretty bad, and it took three spinal injections and several months for it to resolve.  In the first couple of weeks, my upper left leg muscle shrunk a good 4 to 5 inches.  However, once I was able to walk normal again, the muscle came back to its normal size in a couple of months.  Good luck.
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Offline XD40SC

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2011, 05:02:37 AM »
Nerve tissue is different than muscle tissue. The longer the nerve is damaged- the greated the damage and the longer the repair time. If enough nerve damage is done- it may not return 100%.
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Offline Casull

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2011, 05:45:59 AM »
Corrected.
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Offline littlecanoe

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2011, 06:50:48 AM »
Briarpatch,

Sorry to hear that you had to go through this surgery.  I'm a physical therapist and see this sort of thing in the patients that we treat.  Recently had a fella come in that had suffered some nerve damage from a lumbar disc.  He suffers from foot drop in the right leg but we are seeing some return of sensation in the right leg and are hoping for improved movement as we continue to work.   When your surgeon releases you to see a therapist concerning exercises I'd recommend that you get at it.  Have a thorough evaluation performed that looks at muscle strength at all joints in the arms so that you will have a good knowledge of where your strength baseline is at present.  Work religiously.  I always encourage the people that I treat to work hard because the outcome is not easily predicted with nerve damage.  A good portion of your rehab could depend on how diligent you are with following the exercises.  I treat by the thought that if movement exists I can usually make it better and increase strength.  The amount of improvement very well may be limited in direct relation to the amount of nerve damage but only time and healing will allow you to find that point.  Please, let us know how you progress!
lc
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Offline briarpatch

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2011, 08:32:30 AM »
Guys, I appreciate the encouragement and advice, thank you. I will try and post how it is going. So far it is much better than it was.
There again if anyone has this condition, get it fixed.
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Offline williamlayton

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2011, 01:58:15 PM »
BP
I wouldn't beat myself up too badly. You made a decision and it didn't work out.
Prayers for a speedy recovery--
Blessings
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TEXAS, by GOD

Offline briarpatch

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2011, 09:20:07 PM »
A little update. Each day I feel much better than the day before. The worst day was Tuesday. Neck started to swell, could not swallow throat was so sore.
I filled a towel with ice and wrapped it around my neck and in a few hours the swelling began to go down. After that it seems to be gradually getting better.
There is a serious side effect to this situation. I spend a lot of time on the computer and somehow ordered a ruger no. 1 in 45/70. Now I am looking at powders, molds, bullets etc.
When does this crap end?

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Offline williamlayton

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Re: Numb hands and arms
« Reply #10 on: August 06, 2011, 04:12:14 AM »
When you die---hopefully. It would be a shame for you to loose interest before that time.
Keep on, keeping on.
Blessings
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TEXAS, by GOD
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